Four sportspeople were added to the Roll of Honour at the Newark and Sherwood Sports Awards 2018
Tributes were paid at the 13th edition of the Newark and Sherwood Sports Awards as four sportspeople were enrolled to the Roll of Honour.
The late Newark Advertiser reporter Warwick ‘Rick’ Lane was remembered as the junior sportsperson of the year award was dedicated in his name.
To celebrate Rick’s contribution to local sports, he was added to the Roll of Honour.
The posthumous award was collected on behalf of Rick’s family by the Newark Advertiser’s head of news Dan Churcher.
Graham Jackson, of Balderton, was also added to the roll of honour for his 60-year contribution to Balderton Cricket Club.
Known as Mr Balderton Cricket Club to those at the club, Jackson has progressed from player, to captain and now chairman and has put in thousands of hours of work to raise the club’s profile.
Humbled by the award, Jackson said: “It takes more than one man [to run the club].
“We have got a strong team that works hard.”
Jackson was joined by his son, Alan Jackson, and wife, Sandra Jackson, as he collected the award.
Former Newark Rugby Club president Alan Swain and project manager of the rugby club’s new clubhouse development David Pick were also added to the prestigious list.
The rugby club pairing joined the Roll of Honour for leading the five-year development of the new £1.4m clubhouse.
Their efforts also saw them collect volunteer of the year, as recognition for their outstanding commitment and devotion to improving the club.
Swain received recognition for his four-year tenure as president of the club, while Pick’s dedication to managing the Tuesday team was highlighted.
“It was an honour to receive the award,” said Pick.
“Every good team needs a good leader.”
Pick said he had been involved in a lot of construction projects but importantly, the one at the rugby club was the most successful.
“It has kept the identity of the club,” he said. “A magnificent effort from the under-sixes right to the top.”
Off the back of her seventh consecutive professional win, Newark boxer Nina Bradley was awarded senior sportsperson of the year.
Boom Boom Bradley won the International Welterweight Challenge Belt Championship in December 2017, and more recently, won the Commonwealth Super Lightweight Champion.
The 30-year-old boxer defeated Tanzania’s Feriche Mashauri for the title.
Newark Swimming Club’s open water swimmer, Louise Orgill and Newark Tennis Club’s Susan Bilton, who celebrated half a century as a club member, were finalists.
Winner of the Warwick Lane young sportsperson of the year award was Olivia Whitelaw, of Hoveringham.
At the British dressage under-25s national championships, Whitelaw won the FEI pony class and the medium level class.
The 15-year-old also represented Great Britain on three occasions and found success as she won the International Equestrian Federation CDIP Kur.
“Winning the first international was the highlight of my year,” said Whitelaw.
“My aim for next year is the pony Europeans in Poland, and, after that, my long-term goal is the Olympics.”
Jenny Bryan, 15, an archer for Great Britain and Libby Johnson, an under-17 England indoor cricketer, were finalists.
Newark Town’s junior girls coach Mark Nesbitt was the winner of the coach of the year award.
Nesbitt, who has spearheaded the drive for ladies’ football in Newark over the last five years, has allowed 60 girls, aged four to 12, to take part in football and entered two teams in local league.
“It has been an incredible year,” he said.
“To be a good coach you need players that want to be coached and the girls have all paid attention and listened throughout the year.”
Sarah Robsinson, Newark Town’s director, said: “The club are so privileged to have someone like Mark (Nesbitt).”
The runners-up were Newark Flowserve’s joint-managers, Craig Roche and Steve Kirkham.
However, the duo enjoyed success as their side Flowserve side won the senior team award .
The Lowfield’s club earned the accolade for their efforts in the 2017-18 season, which saw them win the Notts Senior League Premier Division and Nottinghamshire Senior Cup double.
As 2018 comes to a close, the Flowserve sit second in the East Midlands Counties league, step-six of non-league football.
Jaguars Wheelchair Basketball Club were awarded club of the year in a successful 12-month period that saw the first and second team promoted from their respective divisions.
The basketball club also has representatives in the current Great Britain Junior and Senior team.
Newark Rugby Club and Newark Striders Running Club finished as finalists.
Junior team of the year was won by Farndon Colts FC under-16s.
Farndon were crowned champions of Division Three in the Notts Youth League.
After finishing sixth the previous year, the players went on to win 17 of 20 matches, scoring an incredible 93 goals.
Junior disabled sportsperson of the Year was presented to Special Olympics figure skater Meg Mcfarlane, of Ompton.
McFarlane previously won the award in 2014 as she won gold for her level one routine in her debut national competition.
Since then, McFarlane has achieved further success and has been involved in numerous Great Britain squads.
In 2018 she confirmed her place in the British inclusive skating squad, where she achieved gold for ice dance and figure at level three in Colorado.
Sixteen-year-old Ben Greatbatch was the winner of the Sam White junior volunteer of the year.
Greatbatch has battled serious health condition over the last 12 months and it temporarily paused his basketball career, which he established while playing for the Newark Tornadoes and then the Nottingham Hoods.
He currently plays in Basketball England’s National League and works on a one-on-one basis with a non-verbal child with down syndrome.
Despite finding studies at the Minster School, Southwell, hard, he continues to volunteer and earlier this year he was granted a VISPA Platinum Award for his coaching efforts with under-13 children.
